In white balance control (to be abbreviated as WB hereinafter) of a general digital camera, reflected light from an object is analyzed, the type of light source is specified based on an obtained spectral distribution, and a white balance control value changes to obtain a color appearance independent of a light source color. Generally, when a light source changes in still image sensing, the white balance control value immediately changes following the change of the light source. However, during moving image sensing, the white balance control value changes following the change of the light source with a time constant.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-61113, in still image sensing, the last white balance control value in a still image sensing standby state (the state of moving image sensing) is stored. The stored white balance control value is set again in returning to the still image sensing standby state (the state of moving image sensing) upon completion of still image sensing.
In the above patent reference, when returning to the still image sensing standby state upon completion of still image sensing, a digital camera sets the white balance control value immediately before still image sensing. Hence, as described above, based on the difference between the follow-up characteristics of still image sensing and moving image sensing with respect to the light source, the light source color cannot be completely corrected immediately after returning to the still image sensing standby state, thus posing a problem.
That is, in such white balance control, the tinctures of an image photographed by still image sensing and an image sensed by moving image sensing after still image sensing become different. As a result, color continuity cannot be maintained.